


On the Ice

by ProfessorDumbleBrows



Series: RinHaru Week 2014 [7]
Category: Free!
Genre: I know nothing about skating--, Ice Skating AU, M/M, figure skating AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 05:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2680946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorDumbleBrows/pseuds/ProfessorDumbleBrows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruka's and Rin's partners left them two weeks before they had to leave to America for the Olympics. Unfortunately, they both still wanted to participate in the Pair Skating. Thus, they were left having to skate with each other. But being on the ice together gave them a bond they never expected to form.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Ice

**Author's Note:**

> Late entry... Busy procrastinating assignments and I still didn't get it done.  
> Oh well! Enjoy this short, awkwardly written ice skating fic.
> 
> Day 7: Sports

Rin drummed his fingers against his knee as he was seated next to Haru. His heart was ramming against his chest and he couldn’t help but feel nervous. Two weeks before having to leave for the Olympics in America, both Rin’s and Haruka’s partners left them. Complains of ‘He doesn’t pay attention to where he’s skating’ and ‘All he cares about is himself’ were left behind and the two had no choice but to partner up with each other.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, Rin brought a hand to rake his hair away from his face. His eyes looked to the two skating on the ice. Nagisa Hazuki and Rei Ryugazaki; Japan’s second best skating duo, were on the ice. Their theme was… cute, Rin noted as they wore pink and purple and their music seemed childish. Nonetheless, the crowd cheered at every throw and every spin.

“Calm down.” Haruka mumbled, sipping at his tea.

“I can’t! We barely had time to practice. Do you see Hazuki and Ryugazaki?!” Rin snapped, turning his head to narrow his eyes at Haru.

In return, Haruka rolled his eyes. “We’ll be fine. We both know how the moves go. As long as we don’t get distracted, we should be fine.” He reassured.

Rin groaned, “Whatever.”

The two looked to where the skaters were still performing. A bright smile was on Nagisa’s face and Rei was looking at his partner carefully. Taking a hold of his hand, he brought him closer to skate in front of him before grabbing his waist and lifting him to throw in the air. Nagisa spun three times before landing on one foot, skating backwards as the crowd roars with cheers.

“You have got to be kidding me.” The red head mumbled, turning his head to look at Haruka again. “Haru! We have to do better than them. ...We have to--”

“Don’t you even say it, Rin.” Haruka interrupted, his eyes slightly widened.

He already knew what was on his mind. They talked about their lineup on what moves they wanted to do and Rin offered a series of nearly impossible jumps and spins. Haruka wouldn’t have had a problem, but Rin was desperate for triples and quads to be performed. The thought of having to force an extra spin or turn made Haruka’s stomach churn.

He drank the rest of his tea, putting the cup back on the thermos it belonged to. The fade of music and loud cheers made Haruka look up and he saw Nagisa and Rei posed, breathing deeply and smiling huge smiles. They looked like they enjoyed themselves and this made him frown. Would he be like that with Rin? Or would they end up bickering the whole time?

"We're up." Rin said, getting up and taking his sports jacket off to reveal a fitted low cut shirt with loose ends. His color was red, like fire. Already having his skates on, he waited until the skaters on the ice exited the rink before approaching the opening. Haruka inhaled deeply and look off his own jacket, his shirt similar to Rin's but blue instead, like water. Also having his skates on, he walked to stand behind his partner.

Rin was the first to step on the ice. He turned, holding his hand out for Haruka to hold. Haruka placed his hand in his and followed him onto the ice. They started out by gliding along the ice, side by side as they got accustomed to the ice beneath them.

Feeling ready, they exchanged glances before letting go of each other’s hand and gliding to either side of the rink. Haruka inhaled deeply, looking down before looking at Rin. Rin looked… Tense. He looked tense but ready, determined not to let things go wrong. Haruka felt danger on the ice instead of peace. And he knew he had to brace himself for any unexpected moves.

The music began, wind instruments and harps signaling the beginning of Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers”. Automatically, both Rin and Haru began skating toward each other. It begun as them joining in the middle of the rank and then taking a hold of each other’s hands again. Haruka turned, his back facing Rin and his other hand joining Rin’s free one. They gliding across the ice, calmly and slowly.

As the music picked up, they let go of one hand and Rin turned to begin skating backwards. He grinned with excitement and Haruka couldn’t help but let a small smile grace his features. But both of them calmed their expressions and begun letting the music guide their moves.

A series of turns, lifts, and throws were performed. Haruka lost his balance once, but Rin improvised and took his hand, pretending it was a purposeful drop to glide around to his back rather than a fault.

“Are you ready?” He whispered while carrying Haru at one point.

“You are not tossing me.” Haruka responded.

Rin chuckled and carefully set his partner down for them to skate side by side again. “Get ready.”

“Rin--”

Named male spun his partner. Haruka lowered himself to spin in a crouched position. Once he felt himself slow down, he lifted himself up and Rin was quick to take his hand again. Lifting him, he brought Haruka to roll over his back. But upon landing, Haru felt an unexpected pull and suddenly Rin’s hands were on his waist as he faced him.

Skating backwards with his partner skating forwards, Haruka felt the cold finally taking its toll. Only a flicker of Rin’s eyes told him to brace himself and he did just as Rin lifted him to toss him in the air.

Haruka spun himself, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins at feeling this was the highest he’s ever been. Prepared to land, Rin skated below him and caught him, holding him straight. The skater dressed in blue blinked at his partner and Rin only stared up at him with eyes of bewilderment.

He didn’t expect to throw Haruka that high. On top of that, he didn’t expect Haruka to look so graceful while spinning. The flare of fabric and the peaceful expression he caught a glimpse of almost made him lose his balance as he performed his own spin before catching him. Rin set Haruka down and they slowed down their moves as they noticed the song’s end was nearing.

They stood close, however. Chest to chest and both heads tilted slightly. To people watching on the television, they heard their performance described as ‘The rain calming the flames’ or ‘An ocean of fire’. Announcers were amazed and couldn’t help but incorporate the color of their garments, obviously feeling they had some significance.

Coming to a stop in the middle of the rink, they both inhaled shaky breaths. Smiles came across their faces and the crowd was filled with screams and claps of cheering. Rin laughed from his excitement and he brought Haruka closer to hug him. Haruka blinked, not having seen this side of Rin before, but managed an awkward embrace in return.

They skated back to the entrance and wobbled back to their bench. Their coach handed them each a bottle of water and a blanket to cease their shivering from being on the ice. Accepting both gratefully, Haruka and Rin eagerly looked up to see their score. Anxiousness filled their beings but the couldn’t help the “Yes!” and “What?!”  that escaped their lips at seeing their score was the highest thus far.

Rin threw his arms around Haruka and the other wrapped his arms around him in return in celebration.

Little did they know that this was only the beginning of their partnership on the ice.


End file.
